Lot Essay
Similar carved panels have been attributed to Hamadan in Iran (see L'Islam dans les collections nationales, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1977, p. 113, no. 203). It is, however, more likely that our piece is Syrian in origin. This attribution may be supported by the way the animal frieze is set against scrollwork and the types of beasts depicted. Harpies and serpents, like most mythical beasts, are frequently found in the art of Syria, particularly in metalwork. It is also from Syria that these motifs spread to Anatolia and Egypt in the 13th century.